7 Tips For Sexing Up Your Service-Based Business

Pepsi. Lego. Volvo. Prada. Some companies seem to have it all. Unless you’re an industry insider, marketing these products seems almost effortless. They’re so irresistibly beautiful.

Can the “effortless” sex appeal that comes with some products also be applied to services? Or are the lawyers, marketing writers, accountants and all service providers of the world doomed to have dreary marketing campaigns?

We don’t think so. And we have a 7 step plan to help you brand your service business just like those naturally desirable products.

Create a Powerful Website with a Message:

An effective and creative online presence is absolutely essential for any service-type small business. A website that details your skills, experience, professional vision and unique advantages is one of the best platforms for implementing marketing strategies. Use the site’s visual and textual content to highlight your strengths. Your website should look professional and reliable, but it doesn’t have to be boring. Don’t be afraid of making a strong visual statement. If you haven’t started yet, you can create a beautiful Wix website right away.

Emphasize the End Result:

When customers are interested in purchasing a physical product, they can envision what it can offer them with little imagination. This is more difficult with a service, which can appear more abstract. To avoid this vagueness, you should market your service with an emphasis on what your clients should expect at the end of your process. Take them all the way up to the finish line and then they will be ready to run the race.

Keep the Generic Stock Images Out:

If you want to create a personal vibe in your marketing efforts, the last thing you need are photos of generic anonymous people performing all sorts of tasks in total joy and dedication. Your audience wants to see faces that relate to their real lives, not a staged photo that can fit into thousands of different ads.

Involve Existing Clients:

Sharing examples from specific cases that you are currently working on allows you to achieve two things at once. One is that you get to explain your approach and demonstrate it, and the other is that it gives you the chance to show that you have an appealing method which already brings trusting clients. An easy way to do this is to share a photo from a recent session with a client on Facebook, describe how the photo illustrates your method, and don’t forget to tag your client too ! (With permission of course.) This way you get extra exposure.

Think about “Packaging”:

When product manufacturers are putting a new item on the market, they invest lots of time and energy into finding the right package that will appeal to their potential customers. With a service-based business, you don’t have any physical entity to package, but you can still use this concept to guide you through your marketing process. What’s important about good packaging is that it stands out, that it is clear about what is inside and that it makes people want to open it. The marketing materials for your service should follow the same principles.

Get Out and Network:

Service-based businesses require so much more personal interaction than selling something. A substantial portion of your lead-gathering process will take place in eye-to-eye conversations, even unintended ones. How can increase the number of important conversations and potential client list? First, perfect your smile. Second, by joining meetup groups, attending conferences or workshops, volunteering to be a guest speaker, and getting your foot in the door at all sorts of professional gatherings.

Show Your Commitment:

If you want to persuade people to trust you in providing them legal counseling/ personal training/ singing lessons/ nutrition guidance/ interior design and any other type of service, you should show them your devotion to what you do and tell them why you are passionate about it. Personal commitment to your work is a huge added value to your professional persona.